In the treatment of colitis and ailments caused by the infraction and/or infection of the colon, it has long been known that lavaging of the colon provides beneficial results, and that colonic lavaging mechanisms must be designed to insure comfort and safety for the patient.
Typically, colonic lavage equipment is adapted to be coupled to a building's water plumbing system to obtain hot and cold water pressure. The water is directed to flow through a mixing valve and a temperature gage to enable precision regulations of the water temperature. The water is then directed to flow to a speculum through a pressure regulator valve means provided to limit the maximum pressure of the water and provide for pressure adjustments below the maximum present pressure limit. The water passing through the speculum is provided to continuously irrigate a patient's colon to extract matter lodged therein. The extracted matter will flow with the transient irrigating water back through the speculum into an evacuation line which is coupled to a viewing chamber.
In addition to the apparatus explained above, the system may be provided with a source of oxygen under pressure from an external source which is coupled to the regulator and shutoff valve means upstream of the speculum. In the water and oxygen operating mode, the water is typically aerated in the mixing manifold prior to entry into the speculum. The oxygen line may be replaced by a fluid line which connects an external supply of suitable medicinal fluid which is mixed with the water prior to being directed to the speculum.